It has been 379 days after I set foot on the plane from Amsterdam to New York (Newark).
All the excitement rushing through my body accompanied by sadness of leaving my family behind on the airport in Amsterdam, for my adventure was bound to begin.

And what an adventure it turned out to be.
I can honestly say all my wishes this year have come true.
I experienced the American life I was anxious for to get to know. I experienced the friendliness of Americans. From saying ‘Hello, how are you?’ even though they are not interested in it, to getting questions asked on an escalator by people wondering where I am from because I have an accent or random compliments from random people. I will miss American curiosity.
I also experienced ‘TV America’, like the love for fried food, and that everything is big, patriotism and sometimes utter ignorance for the rest of the world.

Most of all I learned a lot about myself. I learned not being afraid of doing new things. I learned how to communicate better. I learned how to plan a ton of trips and at the same time be spontaneous about it. I learned to downplay situations. I learned to let go. I tried a lot of new food. I tried new sports. I made a ton of new fantastic friends. And without those friends all of this would be in vain and never as rewarding and amazing as I hoped it would be.

I learned things that I thought I would never really need. I’m able to convert time to 3 different time zones just looking at the clock. I can convert money currencies pretty fast (and feel richer or poorer depending on which case). I’m a professional at using google maps (planning out routes that is, driving I will always make wrong turn no matter what).
It also thought me which friendships are true and what matters most back home. It puts things in perspective and my ‘love’ for the Netherlands got bigger which came apparent during the World Cup as well as the disaster of flight MH17.
Also, mundane things you would think you would never miss suddenly appear to be one of those things you long for most. (In my case, food. It’s always food. And decent roads.)

Most importantly, you learn that to drop everything and move somewhere new is as rewarding as it is terrifying. I wouldn’t be half as brave, thoughtful, or self-aware if I hadn’t done it. I learned that ‘home’ isn’t a place, it’s the people you come to love there.
If you dare to take the chance, the sky is the limit has been my motto for a long time. And I live by it, because it is true.
Going places and chasing your dreams has 10% to do with luck 65% to do with being persistent and 25% with paperwork. You make your own luck.

America, I have lived you. I have loved you for almost 13 beautiful months. Now, my time has come to go home and say goodbye to my amazing new friends who I will miss terribly. But the time has also come to hug my parents again and my family and be welcomed back by my friends, even though it’s just for a short amount of time.
Because, London. Here I come, and I hope you’re ready.
45 reasons someone should live abroad at least once: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/45-reasons-everyone-should-live-abroad-once